HomeTheaterReview.com
If you're looking to build a home theater on a budget, why not take a peek at the Parasound Halo A52 five-channel amp? With a retail price of $2,500, the A52 comes from Parasound's cost-no-object line of products, designed in conjunction with legendary audio designer John Curl. You heard me correctly: $2,500 buys you a cost-no-object amp from Parasound, one of the leaders in the value-per-dollar AV electronics game.

"The A 52 from Parasound is a perfectly manufactured and well equipped 5-channel power amplifier with good technical specifications and very high power capabilities." - Anselm Goertz

AudioVision (Germany), September 2004
"During listening, the set (C 2, A 52) showed muscles -but also a sense for fine details and apparent dimensionality." "The set organized the sound well, and never left any doubt of where the voices or music instruments were coming from." "Even in the biggest 'encounters' the Parasound never lost imaging, and even the strongest explosions or deepest bass attacks of a kind like 'Star Trek' could not distress them at all." "With this combination the Parasound development engineers have proven again a first class job." 93 - Michael Nothnagel

Audio (Poland), August 2004
"The C 1 and A 52 is the most powerful control and amplification center for Home Theater you can ever imagine for this price. The transparency of the sound, its precision is outstanding." "Some audiophiles would like to here more 'juicy' sound, but the A 52 doesn't add anything to the sound. It sounds exactly as the sound engineer wanted the soundtrack to sound." "In summary, we can say that it is very hard to imagine any competitive devices with the same outstanding capabilities and sound reproduction." - Wojciech Pacula

Audio & Video Lifestyle (Australia), August 2004
"This combo (C 2 and A 52) has to be the outright best looking gear I have had in my home theatre system." "In the end you have to say that there is still no AV receiver in the world with a bottom-end like this." "...the sound came through like candy to the ears." "It had a smoothness that helped create a sense of space and poise that was remarked upon by all who heard the combo." "Midrange performance was detailed and neutral. Male and female voice, violins and cellos were never harsh (as you would not forgive at this price point), but were reproduced with the most natural realism that I have heard from my home theatre."
Performance = Five Stars (Perfection), Build Quality = Five Stars (Perfection) - Gavin Womersley

Diapason (France), May 2004

Hjemmekino (Norway), May 2004

AV Guide Monthly, March 2004
"I wanted something considerably better, and the Halo electronics provided it, letting me hear soundtracks with higher resolution, more focus, more believable dynamics, and better channel-to-channel integration than I've heard from most home theater systems." "Once you live with the C 2 and A 52 for a few months you get hooked, and it becomes hard to imagine doing without the finely textured, three-dimensional sound they bring to life in films." - Christ Martens

Home Cinema Choice (UK), March 2004
"125 Parasound Watts carries a lot more grunt in the real world than a similar number of Watts from most AV amps, as our lab test prove." "...the system is powerful, engaging and very listenable, even when pumping the bass cones as though there was no tomorrow." "Power reserves are high and the whole effect is one of control, good definition and kick ass authority." "...a superb package (C 2, A 52, A 23), whose power and majesty can only be hinted at on the printed page, and tremendous material value for money too. Audition with urgency." 4 1/2 Stars - Alvin Gold

"Whether you want to stick to traditional stereo or want to go multi-channel, this Parasound combo (C 2/A 52) seems to us the best we know of today. Quite simply, if perfection ever existed, we would say this is it, in as much as it does not require a 'steep learning curve' to get the most out of its charms." - Ghislain Prugnard

What Hi-Fi (Russia), January 2004
"Now about sound, it is powerful, well balanced and not deformed on the dynamic range edges. Run any action movie - and you will get real movie sound that always involves you in the action. This set extracts information from a soundtrack with such absolute precision that it surprises. The reality of sound sometimes seems unbelievable - Ian Holm's voice in 'Fifth Element' is just amazing. Verdict: very expensive but excellent set possessing perfect sound and extraordinary relish."

Essential Home Cinema (UK), December 2003
"Our assumption was that the C 2/A 52 combination would put on an excellent show, and we weren't disappointed." "The bass is brutal, covering the lower frequencies with a crisp, perfectly timed wall of sound that can take on a top-quality subwoofer and give it all the ammunition needed to rock any joint." "Outstanding. If you've got money and a taste for the sublime this amp/processor combination will deliver the crystal, pinpoint, pounding audio performance you deserve." Five Stars Editor's Choice - Ian Collen

"The Parasound Halo A 52 is a magnificent performer and should be considered by any audiophile looking for multi-channel audio performance." - Miguel Riera

HiFi News (UK), August 2003
"The A 52 is a five-channel power amplifier built on such an epic battleship scale that I was tempted to smash a bottle of champagne across the fascia upon first switch-on." "It's superb build, sound and a 10-year warranty reinforce my view that I for one left my heart in San Francisco." - Jonathan Gorse